Ramallah: Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, affirms that the systematic destruction of the various life aspects in the Gaza Strip, by the Israeli army, is a clear manifestation of the Israeli racism policy. Israel is imposing a restricted siege on the Gaza Strip by cutting electricity, water, internet, food, medicine, and all other supplies. In addition to that, the Israeli army proceeded to shell the civic establishments such as houses, hospitals, medical centers, schools, universities, banks, churches, bakeries, and other establishments; all these crimes indicate that the Israeli occupation is proceeding in the genocide and ethnic cleansing policy against Palestinians. The destruction process seems to be the introduction to pave the road in the face of the genocide and ethnic cleansing policy. The crimes of the Israeli army indicate clearly the racist mentality of the Israeli occupation state and they are war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Israeli occupation’s crimes are connected directly with the ethnic cleansing and genocide crimes applied by the occupation against Palestinians.
The support of the Israeli aggression by some Western Countries, including the USA, indicates clearly that these countries are still dominated by the colonialism mentality though they established their own national states. Additionally, such a position highlights the racism of these countries and the double standards they applied in dealing with international questions. These countries pretend that that they adopt liberal values, human rights, and human values; but, on the ground, they contradict themselves and support the Israeli aggression. Such behavior of these countries reveals the defamation of their principles and visions as they are supporting the Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Western position that is biased toward the Israeli occupation and the aggression on the Gaza Strip, is interpreted in the pentagonal statement released by the USA, England, France, Germany, and Italy, which granted the occupation state a green light to proceed in its aggression against Palestinians. The given countries committed themselves to supporting the Occupation State in its self-defense efforts against the attacks of the Palestinian resistance, as claimed in the mentioned statement . In addition to the statements, most of the foreign ministers of these countries visited the occupation state to express support and solidarity with it. Moreover, military aid was generously sent to the occupation state from the given countries. Not only that but also the naval fleets of these countries were sent to the region to participate in the aggression when The American aircraft carrier Ford arrived in the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean. Moreover, there is political coverage for the Israeli occupation in the United Nations Security Council where these countries banned issuing a decision to end the aggression. England, USA, and France used the Veto against a drafted resolution submitted by Russia and Brazil calling for ending the aggression and human ceasefire .
The crimes and practices of the Israeli occupation are clear violation of the International Law and International Humanitarian Law as well as the United Nations Charter. According to international law, the crimes of the Israeli occupation against civilians in the Gaza Strip are war crimes and crimes against humanity. According to the spokesperson of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, (D. Ashraf Al- Qedra), there are 3785 martyrs in the Gaza Strip including 1524 children, 1000 women, and 120 aged persons. The number of wounded persons reached 12493 including 2983 children and 3300 women. There are 44 martyrs from the medical teams in addition to other 70-wounded persons . Additionally, it is believed that there are still tens of persons under the rubble, according to the statements of the Ministry of Health .
The orders and demands of the Israeli army for the citizens in the Gaza and Northern Gaza Governorates (250 thousand citizens) to evacuate their houses and head south within 24 hours duration are a clear tendency for forcible displacement.
The Israeli occupation army directly targeted civilian facilities, especially homes and residential buildings, and destroyed more than (2185) buildings completely, (8840) residential units completely, in addition to the partial destruction of more than (89000) residential units. Approximately (680000) citizens were displaced and forcibly relocated within the Gaza Strip away from their homes .
The policy of collective sanctions, including cutting off water, food, medicine, and electricity to the Gaza Strip, is a form of organized crime aimed at punishing innocent civilians, especially children, women, the elderly, people with special needs, and the sick. The inability of medical teams, civil defense, municipalities, and paramedics to retrieve bodies from under the rubble and debris exacerbates the humanitarian crisis for the citizens there, which foreshadows a health and environmental catastrophe. The scent of death spreads everywhere in the Gaza Strip, and the images of war and destruction, with deliberate and targeted attacks on civilian facilities and civilian populations, resemble what the Nazi army did in World War II during the infamous Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi army committed heinous acts against civilian populations and prevented the entry of food and medicine. According to estimates, during the days of the siege, the city of Leningrad witnessed the deaths of at least (800,000) people due to food shortages.
The deliberate and intentional targeting of civilian life, civilian populations, and individuals not directly participating in military activities by the Israeli occupation army in the Gaza Strip constitutes a war crime according to the basic principles of the International Criminal Court. It also represents a serious violation of Article 25 of the Hague Convention concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land of 1907, which prohibits the attack or bombardment of cities, towns, dwellings, and buildings that are not fortified, regardless of the means used. Additionally, the protection of civilians and civilian structures is guaranteed by the four Geneva Conventions dated August 12, 1949.
Civilian life in the Gaza Strip has been decimated due to the crimes, massacres, and atrocities committed by the Israeli occupation state. This forewarns of a severe humanitarian catastrophe not witnessed by the world since World War II. This compels international organizations, United Nations institutions, governments, and parliaments to take urgent action to rescue the Gaza Strip and its residents. After this destruction and the quantity of explosives used in the attacks, the Gaza Strip has become a devastated area unsuitable for human habitation.